Info on blood pressure please

Savvy_Sue

I know there's lots of info on blood pressure out there, and I'm hoping some knowledgable or time-rich person will be able to point me towards it. Please note I'm not asking for advice which I know no-one can give on this board.

I've GOT to get my BP down, because I've just had an operation postponed because it's too high. I have to have three readings taken next week, and see my GP at the 3rd. If it's not down then I have to take medication for 3 weeks, and the op won't be rescheduled until my BP is on its way down.

Now, I've been told to cut out caffeine - including chocolate! :eek: - and salt. And I already know I need to lose weight and exercise more, both of which I've been trying to do for months, although clearly not with sufficient enthusiasm.

The thing is, I started reducing my caffeine about 10 days ago, to avoid the post-op headache from caffeine withdrawal! As a result, I've been drinking more funny tea. The main three are Fennel Tea, Detox Tea, and Throat Comfort Tea. Just wondering if there's anything in any of them which could be playing havoc with the figures.

Fennel Tea speaks for itself, but in the other two are:

Licorice, fennel, cinnamon, orange peel, ginger, thyme, marshmallow root, mullein flower, dried lemmon juice, natural orange flavor, cardamon, black pepper, cloves, turmeric.

And

Licorice, cinnamon cassia, burdock root, ginger, dandelion, fennel seeds, anis, juniper berries, coriander, cardamon, black pepper, parsley, sage, cloves, turmeric.

So, can anyone tell me if any of these are real no-nos for people with high BP? Or point me to a good website where I can find out more? It didn't occur to me that my funny teabags might be a problem until tonight, so I haven't been able to ask a health professional. I can run it past a nurse on Monday at my first BP reading, but there's no guarantee they'll know any more than I do.

Hoping someone can help: postponing the op isn't life-threatening, except in the sense that I thought I had things under control on the domestic front, and now I don't seem to any more ...

Queenie

Netdoctor UK - facts on hypertension

Diet advice - includes this advice on food

Blood Pressure Diet - US but gives menu sample

Exercise - ooh the very word can put the shivers down the spine of even the strongest! Basically, just walk, briskly enough to get your heart working but not to the point of breathless exhaustion!!! 30 mins a day is attainable.

HTH Good luck.

Ted_Hutchinson

[size=+1]Breathing-control lowers blood pressure.[/size]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]YOGA [/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE - Yoga For Getting Rid Of High BP[/font]
scroll down the page to [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Pranayama breathing exercises.

[/font]BLOOD PRESSURE Counseling sheet[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/font]

Luis

Hi Sue,

Sorry to hear your Op has been postponed - what a blow!

Rather than use the herbal tea-bags, why not buy ordinary Decaf ones? Me and the OH use Tetley Decaf (as I used to get a lot of Migraines from the caffeine), and you really cannot tell the difference.

Also, Garlic is supposed to be very good at lowering the old BP - Wonder of Garlic as well as loads of other things - and it's cheap! We get our caps from Aldi or other supermarkets. OH uses it to help his BP, cholesterol and diabetes (wreck lol).

HTH,

Luis x

Luis

Sorry, back again - CORRECT LINK NOW says that sage raises BP, and I note it is one of the ingredients in your second brew.

Savvy_Sue

Thank you everyone. I have only just crawled out of bed so will make some more (decaff) tea and hit the net! Then after lunch I will hit the road! Have got to get off my backside, I know!

Luis, I already drink decaff tea and DH drinks decaff coffee at home, but I'd cut out the caff at work. The herby teas were for the evening when I don't really know what I want to drink - I guess some people hit the bottle or glass but my boozing is confined to Sunday lunch, when I have half a small (25cl) bottle of cider so that my son doesn't drink a whole bottle! I may need to check the garlic tip with someone professional - discovered on Tuesday that I shouldn't take Cod Liver Oil before the op as it thins the blood slightly!

Thanks for the sage warning: that's in the Detox tea! Which has been my mainstay recently.

Queenie, yes walking is my preferred dose of the e-word! Have decided I will bus or train to work next week as that way it's easy to get the walking in. But I also have a newly serviced bike to get onto ... Thanks for the sites.

Ted, I knew you wouldn't let me down!

Blessings on you all!

Savvy_Sue

OK: garlic also thins the blood, so I'd better hold off that until I've talked to someone in the light of the advice already given about Cod Liver Oil. Luis, your link to sage increasing BP led me to the garlic site - please could you find the other link for me? If it's not too much trouble, only I need to get off my backside and out into the sunshine.

I should eat nothing today, then only apples all day tomorrow, then fruit and salt-free bread on Monday. Whoops, blown it already ... Actually looks like I could stop eating altogether there are so many things to avoid! :eek: I shall have to get to grips with this gradually as I suspect it's going to be a long term problem and if I can avoid medication for the rest of my life I shall be happier.

I think the caffeine and breathing has got to be my best bet immediately, and I also found a link from Netdoctor to avoiding stressful situations - stress-busting techniques. Although it's all rather difficult, since the stressful situation of having an op cancelled and knowing it can't be done until I've got my BP down is inherently stressful and can't really be avoided ... I'm going to be a bag of nerves in the surgery next week!

Luis

D'oh! I've amended the link in the post above now Sue.

Read the netdoctor link with interest - perticularly like the third tip

If you want some relaxation stuff, I have some on CD I can upload and email you?

Savvy_Sue

Luis wrote:

D'oh! I've amended the link in the post above now Sue.

Thank you very much. :A Detox tea now off the menu ...

Luis wrote:

Read the netdoctor link with interest - perticularly like the third tip

I'm sure my DH will too - not sure I dare show him!

Luis wrote:

If you want some relaxation stuff, I have some on CD I can upload and email you?

Thanks for the offer, I think I have some so I'll pass on that for now but will get back to you if I can't find what I think I've got ...

Just back from an hour's walk. 40 minutes quite brisk and 20 minutes less so: through a wood where I had to be more careful of my footing but it was very peaceful, birds singing etc. Determined to look on the bright side: I will not miss the conker trees in full bloom ... Off to write the shopping list now - even though I appear to be giving up food I don't suppose the boys will want to!

elona

Savvy Sue


I sent you a relaxation tip on the other thread you used and it really does help.

I have a feeling that liquorice may play havoc with blood pressure but cannot remember where I read it.

Good luck!

I also read somewhere that if you use an ordinary tea bag and place it in boiling water for a minute and then remove it and place it in a second cup of boiling water - that the second cup is de- caffinated.

Ted_Hutchinson

elona wrote:

I have a feeling that liquorice may play havoc with blood pressure but cannot remember where I read it.

SAFETY ISSUES AFFECTING HERBS:

Herbs That May Increase Blood Pressure